Wheel



P. LOPEZ. WHEEL APPLlCATlON FILED NOV- 27, 0915.

1 ,1 93,806 Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Y in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional PETE LOPEZ, 0E TUOLUMNE, CALIFORNIA.

WHEEL.

Application filed November 27, 1915.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, PETE Lornz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tuolumne, in the county of Tuolumne, State of California, have invented a new and useful Wheel; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whicl'r'it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vehicle wheels, and has for its object toprovide a Wheel of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby the folly can be expanded and contracted to admit of a tire being placed in position thereon or removed therefrom, such a construction being especially advantageous where the wheels are equipped with pneumatic tires which must necessarily be frequently changed.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a wheel of this character which is comparatively simple andinexpensive in its construction, which can be easily and quickly manipulated without the use of any special tools, which will removed from the wheel or placed in position thereon with a comparatively small amount of labor, and which will not in any manner detract from the necessary strength of the wheel.

With these and other objects in view the Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented Aug. S, into.

Serial No. 63,859. i

and the wheel being shown in its expanded position by solid lines and in. its contracted position by dotted lines.

(lorresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of illustration the invention is shown as embodied in one of the drlve wheels of an automobile, the numeral 1 designating the axle, 2 a portion of the axle housing, and 3 the wheelhub which is keyed upon the end of the axle at e. The end of the axle is provided with the large threads 5 for enga ement with a bur 6, and also with smaller t reads 7 for engagement with the cap 8.

Integral with the hub sleeve 3 is an axle casing 9 providing a chamber which is closed at the front of the wheel by rotatably and the periphery of the washer member also projects over the edges of the plate 10 so as to assist in holding the plate in position.

The annular casing 9 is provided at the outer edge thereof with a peripheral flange invention consists in certain novel comblna- 9 d l t an i t di t oi t ith tions and arrangements of the parts as Wlll an annular fl g 14, id flanges 9 d enable a tire to be interposed between the bur 6 and the hub 3, so

more fully p as the description P 14, as well as the hub 3, being provided with fi a the lmvel features 30 bemg suitable bearings within which the radially Pointed out m the p f l m disposed spokes 15 are journaled. Collars For a full understanding of the invention, 1 are g d upon the i ends of the Ief 6r6 I1C9 is to be had to E followmg spokes 15 bymeans of set screws 17, and G 'lP and accompanymg drawmg, m normally bear against the annular flange 1e and vhub 3 in such a manner as to hold F g e l S a SE16 elevatlflm 01 a Wheel ithe spokes against inward longitudinal constructed in accordance with the inye movement. Each of the spokes 15 is also tion, portions being broken away and ShO n provided with a bevel pinion 18 which is secured thereto by means of a suitable key detail 19 and bears against the inner face of the transverse sectional view' through the folly flange 9 so as to hold the spoke against of the wheel. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a outward longitudinal movement. The pe ortion of the felly of the wheel, portions riphery of the rotatably mounted plate 10 being broken away and shown in section, is received within the outer edge of the view through the wheel. Fig. 3 is a flange 9% and is rovided-with an inwardly projecting annu ar rack 20 meshlng w1t h the pinions 18 of all of the spokes 15.' Thls plate 10 is normally locked against rotat on, although it will be obvlous that by turning the same all of the spokes 15 will be simultaneously rotated about their longitudlnal axes. outer edge of the flange 9f by suitable means such as the screws 22, one of the arms of each of the angle clips projecting over the edge of the rotatable plate 10 and being prov'ded with a set screw 23 adapted to .be screwed into engagement with the plate to hold the plate against rotation.- Lock nuts 24 are shown as applied -to the set screws 23 for the purpose of preventing them from working loose. Notches in the outer face of the rotatable plate 10 provide suitable hand-holds 25, so that after loosening the set screws 23 the plate can be easily turned to rotate the spokes 15 in either direction.

The felly of the wheel is formed in a series of independent sections 26, each of said sections being provided at one end thereof with a tongue 27, and at the opposite end thereof with a. recess 28 adapted to receive the tongue'27 of the adjacent section. At its middle portion each of the sections 26 is formed with a threaded socket 29 which receives the threaded extremity 15 of one of the spokes l5. Applied to one end of each of the sections 26 is a sleeve or casing 30, said casing being held in position by any suitable means such as the screw 31, and being adapted to telescope over the end of the adjacent felly section.

When it is desired to contract the felly, the set screws 23 are loosened and the plate 10 rotated to turn the spokes l5 and cause the threaded extremities 15 thereof to be threaded more deeply into the sockets 29 of the sections 26, thereby simultaneously draw ing all of the said fellysections inwardly toward the hub and reducing the diameter of the wheel. After the tire 'has been again placed in position uponthe felly, the plate 10 is rotated in the opposite direction and the threaded extremities 15 of the spokes 15 unscrewed from the sockets 29 so as to force the felly sections 26 outwardly and again expand the Wheel. When the wheel is expanded there is a space'betweenthe ends of adjacent felly sections 26, although the casings or sleeves 30 cover these spaces so as to exclude mud and dirt therefrom. When the felly is contracted a tire can be readily placed in position upon the wheel or removed therefrom, although after the felly has been expanded the tire will be retained securely in position thereon.

The hub of the wheel is shown as provided with the usual brake drum 32, although this is of the conventional construc- Angle clips 21 are applied to the against rotation.

part of the present are threaded for engagement with the before 1 mentioned threaded sockets of the felly sections, means for-locking the spokes against longitudinal movement, pinionsapplied to the spokes, a plate rotatably mounted upon the hub and closing thevopen side of'the cas-- ing, an annular rack-upon the plate for engagement with the pinions of the spokes to simultaneously rotate all of the spokes, and means for locking the plate against rotation.

2. A vehicle wheel including an expansible felly formed in a series of independent sections each of which is provided with a threaded socket, a. hub, an annular casing surrounding the hub and havlng an open side, said casing being formed with an outer annular flange and also with an inner concentric annular flange, radially extending spokes having the inner ends thereof journaled within the flanges of the casing, set

collars applied to the spokes and bearing against the inner flange to lock the spokes against inward longitudinal movement, pinagainst the outer flange to lock the spokes against outward longitudinal movement, the outer ends of the spokes being threaded for engagement with the before mentioned threaded sockets of the felly sections, a plate rotatably mounted upon the hub and closing the open side of the casing, an annular rack upon the plate for engagement with the pin- 1011s of the spokes to simultaneously rotate the spokes, and means for 3. A vehicle wheel including an expansible felly formed in a series of independent sections each of which is provided with a) threaded socket, a hub, an annular casing surrounding the hub and having an open side, said casing being formed with an annular flange,

ing the inner ends thereof journaled upon .the casing flange and hub, while the outer ends thereof are threaded for engagement with the before mentioned threaded sockets of the felly sections, pinions applied to the spokes and engaging the casing flange to hold the spokes against outward longitudinalv movement, inward longitudinal movement being prevented by the hub, a rotatable locking the plate radially disposed spokes hav; I

100 ions applied to the spokes and bearing plate mounted upon the hub and closing name to this specification in the presence of the open side off the casing, an annular rick two subscribing witnesses. upon t ie plate or engagement with the e- V fore mentioned pinions of the spokes to ETE LOPLIA' simultaneously rotate all of the spokes and I Witnesses: means for locking the plate against rotation. IVAR EKMAN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my \VITMAR LEWIS.

copies 0! this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

